What Did You Do In The Garden?

[flowerbug]

worked on getting the pathways put back together (that i had to move out of the way last fall). already looking so much better. only three hours work to get almost 2/3rds of one side done (with help from Mom the last hour).

break time for now.

have to check the beans later and bring in some tomatoes.

saw a squirrel the other day. very rare to see one of those here - it might be what has been chewing on some of the tomatoes and raiding the cherry tomatoes.

 

[digitS']

saw a squirrel the other day. very rare to see one of those here - it might be what has been chewing on some of the tomatoes and raiding the cherry tomatoes.

Well, yeah.

The neighborhood squirrel likes the cherry tomatoes on the 4 plants at the foot of the backsteps. Rascal. The little peach tree had 6 peaches this year. He had 2, we have 4 - harvested before they are fully ripe but before the squirrel had all of them.

I throw Garbanzo the Dog's metal food bowl at him but Rascal acts like it fell out of the sky. (Garbanzo isn't around often enuf but I don't want her fighting with the squirrel, about the same size that she is. Altho, she is more than willing.)

He has been known to chase a rock, I suppose to see what it is . I think that he may have learned by now that these untoward events occur when I show up and he will beat a hasty escape up a tree.

Steve

 

[Prairie Rose]

I started topping off the fall squash vines and the tomatoes. About six weeks from frost, I would rather everything already there ripen instead of letting the plants put so much energy into more fruit that never has a chance.

 

[Scott Hucker]

Harvested some Minnesota 13 Corn:

 

[ducks4you]

Yesterday I took some online tomato advice and pruned my plants. This gardener said that they needed airflow, so I went to town with my hand lopper. I had to throw away nearly 50 tomatoes that had been sitting and rotting and getting eaten by bugs. I harvested about 15 nice fruit, and there are nearly 100 green beefsteak tomatoes, mostly big dudes. Although the family are eating them like they are about to become illegal, I still have enough to can a few pints tomorrow. I am greatful for several volunteers this year, too.

 

[Trish Stretton]

I finally got around to researching Chickpeas and learnt that they do Not like wet soil, nor do they like to be transplanted...so I quickly transplanted all 3 dozen seedlings that had got waterlogged a few days ago, as well as sowing more in a couple of other spots, just to see how they do in comparison.

 

[ninnymary]

I would just love to eat melon from my own garden, we can't grow them here.
I don't know anyone where I live that has canned their own tomatoes and never heard of it until I came into this site.
If I lived near you I would buy them from you.
I've had physical issues with tomatoes but when a nieghbor gave me some from her green house recently I was just fine with them. So looks like home grown tomatoes are the way to go for me

Your mother sounds like a really lovely lady. I like cooking for people to.

Marie, what zone are you in? We can't grow melons here because of our cool summer weather. But I have found Petit Gris De Renne which is bred for our type of summer climate. I can grow that one easily and it is super sweet and delicious.

Mary

 

[ninnymary]

@flowerbug, I hope people are returning the jars. I couldn't find jelly 8 oz jars at 4 stores that I went to. You bet I will be writing down the names of those I give them to and telling them they need to return the jar otherwise they won't get anything from me, haha. Never worried about it in the past cause I usually would find a few free but not anymore.

Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

I just got back from the grocery store. They were out of regular sized lids. They had other canning supplies but were fairly low in stock for most of them. I have plenty of rings and jars but not lids.

I just canned chicken broth. My pressure canner holds 18 pints so I barely have enough lids for another canning. Just trying to restock when I can.

 

[digitS']

@ninnymary , they should start by waiting outside your kitchen door, empty jar in hand. After the lid pops in the open window, they will know to stand again at the door for you to hand them the jar.

Ha!

To my way of thinking, cooks and gardeners make good partners. I'm not sure about gardeners and consumers. Oh, I have a little bit of that persnicketiness, also. Like, it took me several years to be willing to try Lemon Boy - I don't want a tomato that tastes like a lemon! (Not as bad as DW with tomato Bloody Butcher requiring a different name.)

I'm making pasta sauce, this morning. Trying Italian sausage instead of bacon in with the sauteing onions and garlic. Wondering if this would be a good time to try new-to-me tarragon. No, I already have the basil in a bowl, don't want basil, tarragon and fennel seeds together. I'll try tarragon with the bacon or olive oil, next time .

Stirring the saute mix, I was trying to remember what cooks call what is sticking to the bottom of the pan. The only thing that I can think of is frass. Oops. Better not mention that to DW! She's very anti-caterpillar .

I think that I will give this sauce another 30 minutes cooking ...

Have you done a translation of Gris de Renne, Mary?

Steve